aid step 2: Submit FAFSA Form

submitting required forms All College Financial Aid Begins with Submission
of the FAFSA form. It is used by colleges to determine your financial aid eligibility. Step 2 summarizes the FAFSA requirements and form application links.

Dependent Status:
both the parent and the student MUST complete the FAFSA form to be eligible for financial aid.

Independent Status:
only the student and the spouse, if applicable MUST complete the FAFSA form to be eligible for financial aid.

You may submit
the FAFSA form anytime after January
1 in the year you intend to begin
school;

For example, if you
plan to attend school in Fall 2011,
you must submit your FAFSA form
anytime after January 1, 2011 to
about the end of July in order to
qualify for financial aid for the
academic year coming up.

You should submit your FAFSA form
early to meet college financial
aid deadlines

The FAFSA form must be completed and renewed each year while you attend school

eligible financial aid may increase or decrease each academic year depending on the college and the renewed FAFSA form that is renewed each year the student is in school.

Some schools may require additional forms for the student to become eligible for non-federal financial aid

The CSS Profile form is the most commonly used form for many Private schools. The PROFILE form requires more complete
information not generally covered
by the FAFSA form 

your (and your spouse's, if you are married) recent year Federal Income Tax Return - IRS Form 1040, 1040A, 1040EZ, foreign tax return, or tax return for Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia or Palau

your parents' recent year Federal Income Tax Return (if you are a dependent student)

You may submit
the FAFSA form anytime after January
1 in the year you intend to begin
school;

for example, if you
plan to attend school in Fall 2007,
you must submit your FAFSA form
anytime after January 1, 2007 to
about the end of July in order to
qualify for financial aid for the
academic year coming up.

Before you begin:
download a sample FAFSA worksheet that you can use as reference. You need to make sure you enter everything correctly to avoid delays in your financial aid applications:

The PROFILE form is a fee-based
form used by select schools to administer
their own financial programs.

The PROFILE form requires more complete
information not generally covered
by the FAFSA form  contact
your college institution to determine
whether they require the PROFILE
form and any other Financial Aid
Application forms: